Socket wrench



July. 15, 1924. 1,501,788

J. M. LAFLIN SOCKET WRENCH Filed Aug. 14. 1923 WWII, 20 N 4 l8 7 /9\I /9 v 6 T 5 4 6 l/ 3 I gin-wank Zzk Patented July 15, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. LAFLIN, OF BOGISE, IDAHO.

SOCKET WRENCH.

Application filed August 14, 1923. Serial No. 657,285.

To all 20720772 2'! may concern:

Be it known that l, Justus M. Lanmn'. residing at Boise, in the county of Ada and State of Idaho (whose post-otiice address is $13 Broad Street, Boise, Idaho), a nativeborn citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Socket lVrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to socket wrenches, and particularly to an adjustable wrench structure.

An object of my invention is to provide a socket wrench having the jaw portions thereof made movable to be adjusted to and set in various positions to thus adjust the size of the socket.

A further object resides in so constructing and arranging the adjusting and setting mechanism that these portions will not interfere with the use of the wrench.

Another object lies in providing a handle structure of elongated form on which the socket jaws are removably fitted, said handle being adapted to have the jaws interchangeably fitted on the end or the side thereof.

Vith the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, my invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will now be set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation taken from the handle side of my improved wrench.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing the socket side of the wrench.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the jaw adjusting segment. v

The handle 1 has its body portion made in the form of an elongated bar, with one end turned at right angles, as indicated at 2. The ends of the handle have rightangularly extending jaw-supporting arms 3 and l, and oppositely extending offset adjusting arms 5 and 6. The arms 3 and 5, and 4 and 6, of the two pairs, extend oppositely and radially from the handle, and it is perhaps preferable that the arms at both ends of the handle be disposed to lie substantially in the same plane.

The jaws 7 and 8, which are substantially semi-circular in shape, are pivoted together by a pin 9, which has one end extending, as at 10, and threaded to receive a nut 11. The jaw-supporting arms 3 and 4 have openings 12 therethrough to'receive this threaded end 10 of the pin 9, and thenut 11 can be turned onto the threaded'end to' retain the jaws in pivotal mounting upon either of the supporting arms. An adjusting segment 13 has a pin 14 extending, centrally on one side thereof to be fitted interchangeably in the openings 15 of the arms 5 and 6, and this segment is provided with curved slotsv 16 and 17 on opposite sides of the pin. I

By reason of the offset of arms 5 and 6, with respect to supporting arms 3 and 4:, segment 13 can be fitted in place with its outer side substantially in a plane with the outer face of the adjacent arm 3 or 4, and consequently the jaws 7 and 8 will swing adjacent the slotted ends of the adjusting segment. Pins 18 and 19 are carried by the jaws 7 and 8, with their ends extending through the curved slots 16 and 17 and the. extending ends are screw-threaded to receive wing nuts 20 and 21.

In the use of my improved socket wrench. the segment 13 is fitted with its pin 14 in the opening 15 of one of the arms 5 or 6 of the handle 1, depending'upon whether an end or side socket is desired, and the jaws 7 and 8 are fitted with the end 10 of pin 9 through the opening 12 of the adjacent supporting arm, the ends of pins 18 and 19 being received in the slots of the segment 13. The nut 11 is turned onto the threaded end 10, and the jaws 7 and 8 are then pivotally and adjustably held upon the supporting arm. The wing nuts 20 and 21 are turned onto the threaded ends of pins 18 and 19, to engage and clamp against the ends of the adjusting segment 13, and justments of the jaws 7 and 8 will thus be maintained.

The handle and jaw portions, and the remaining parts, can be made of any suitable metal and can be shaped or fashioned in any approved manner; and, while I have shown the gripping faces 22 and 23 of the jaws 7 and 8 as being of particular form, and have described the outline shape of these jaws, it will be appreciated that changes and variations can be made in the form and arrangement of the parts to suit particular requirements of use, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A socket wrench comprising a handle, laterally extending arms at the end of said handle, a pair of gripping jaws pivotally and adj ustably mounted on one side of said arms, an adjusting segment carried by the other arm, and means associated with the gripping jaws to engage with the segment and hold said jaws in adjusted positions.

2. A socket wrench comprising a handle having a radially extending supporting arm, an oppositely extending arm offset inwardly on the handle, an adjusting segment carried by said ol'lset arm and provided with slots at its ends, a pair of socket jaws pivotally mounted on said supporting arm and adjustable upon. the slotted ends of the segment, threaded pins carried by said jaws extending through the slots, and wing nuts on said threaded pins.

3. A socket Wrench comprising an elongated handle portion having an angular extension at one end, supporting arms extending laterally and radially at the ends of said handle and extension, oppositely extending arms at said ends offset from the supporting arms, said bearing and offset arms having openings there-through, an adjusting segment slotted adjacent each end provided with a central pin to interchangeably hold the segment upon either of the offset arms, a pair of socket jaws provided with bearing portions, a pin by which said jaws are pivotally connected together provided with an end to fit through the opening or one or said supporting arms, a nut turned onto the threaded end of said pin to mount the jaws for swinging movement on the supporting arm, extending threaded pins carried by said jaws fitted through the slots of the adjusting segment, and clamp nuts fitted on said pins.

In testimony whereof I hereunto my signature.

JAMES M. LAFLIN. 

